Walking in the aosta valley

Tucked into the northwest corner of Italy, the Aosta Valley is one of the Alps' most dramatic and underrated walking destinations. Surrounded by the highest peaks in Western Europe - Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa - this autonomous region offers an extraordinary concentration of alpine scenery, from glaciated high passes and ancient Roman roads to the medieval monasteries of the Grand St Bernard and the medieval fortress of Forte di Bard. With walks suited to beginners and experienced mountain walkers alike, this first edition Cicerone guidebook by Andy Hodges covers 32 routes from 4 to 20km (2 to 12 miles), taking between 1 and 6 hours to complete. Route descriptions are paired with 1:50,000 mapping and downloadable GPX files, with summaries of via ferrata and trail-running options included throughout. 32 walks and scrambles across six areas, covering the main valley, the Lys valley, Valtournenche, Valpelline, the Great St Bernard Pass and Courmayeur, with routes ranging fr